Oregon must protect net neutrality, fight for open, free Internet

As a law student and advocate for strong, Oregonian government, I am thrilled that the Oregon House of Representatives recently took a stand on net neutrality with the passage of House Bill 4155. It is a small but important step in the fight for an open and free Internet.

Though the legislative session has ended, Oregonians must continue to champion unfettered Internet access. One way to keep this fight alive is to oppose the proposed AT&T takeover of Time Warner.

What does this have to do with net neutrality? AT&T worked hard to dismantle net neutrality, as it is the third-largest broadband provider in the United States. They also own DirectTV, by far the largest satellite television provider. Now they are angling to swallow up Time Warner and its vast amount of content.

With the repeal of net neutrality, there is nothing to stop AT&T from putting its own content in the fast lane or slowing down delivery of content that they do not own or agree with.

Consumers must have equal access to online content, as this type of access fuels economic opportunity, civic engagement, and social action. Let’s make sure we protect this resource.